Richard Seesel

Target and Wal-Mart Give Individual Attention to Customers

August 31, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Target and Wal-Mart Stores may be the biggest mass merchandisers in the country, but both believe business results can be improved by tailoring what they do to individual shoppers. Do you think Target and Wal-Mart are capable of achieving a "neighborhood store" feel?      [more...]

Given Walmart's expertise in supply chain management, it's essential that they put this skill to good use micro-managing assortments by store. Making this work requires great logistical execution (by both Walmart and its vendors), adept use of its data warehouse, flexible planogramming and above all a committed culture.

Target has tried over the years to tailor its assortments for local preferences and--like Walmart--has better IT tools today than ten years ago to help make it happen. The added initiative of using social-networking techniques to focus their marketing efforts makes perfect sense, and we can expect to see other retailers follow Target's lead.